


Catastrophic Secret

by FantasyChild9



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Animals, Baz is a softie for cats, Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), Cat, Cute, Day 7: Animals, Fluff, How Do I Tag, M/M, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27832177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyChild9/pseuds/FantasyChild9
Summary: Simon has a secret that he's been keeping from Baz, and it involves a certain adorable black cat.
Relationships: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26
Collections: Carry On Countdown 2020





	Catastrophic Secret

**Simon**

I’m absolutely exhausted after my shift at the bakery. Baz won’t be home for a couple of hours, which will leave me with plenty of time with Roasty.

Roasty’s a cute black stray cat that turned up outside Baz and I’s apartment a few weeks ago. I know that our apartment is animal-free, but he was just so helpless standing out there, probably starving in the cold. I had no choice, so I snuck him inside with me.

I only keep him in the apartment for a couple of hours, just enough to give him some food and water, and to play with him for a bit. Baz would kill me if he found out though (he’s such a stickler for rules), so I’ve kept him a secret. When the cat goes back outside, I have to quickly clean the apartment, so Baz won’t suspect anything.

When I arrive at the apartment, Roasty is sitting patiently at the door. It’s exactly what I need after such a long day. I pick him up and tuck him gently into my messenger bag (which I got for the sole reason of sneaking Roasty inside). It makes me smile when he finds the little bit of kibble I hid in it.

Walking inside the building with Roasty always makes me feel nervous. I feel like I’m committing a terrible crime, smuggling a cat inside an apartment building. I probably shouldn’t be doing this, if our landlord finds out who knows what the consequences could be, but I can’t help it. Roasty needs all the help he can get.

I get to our door and go to unlock it, but it’s already unlocked. Did I forget to lock it on my way out this morning? Please, please don’t have let anyone break in. I survey the living area when I walk in, but not a thing seems out of place. Nothing’s broken, and all our electronics are still there. I decide that I’ll go check on the bedrooms once I’ve given Roasty some food. I set Roasty up with a portion of last night’s roast beef (I may or may not have named the cat after the first thing I saw in the fridge when I first brought him up) and pour him a dish of water.

That’s when I hear the bedroom door open.

My first thought is that I hope it’s only Baz and not some serial murderer or thief, but then I look at Roasty. Unless the murderer is a resident of this apartment complex, I won’t have to explain the cat to them. A murderer would have no reason to question the existence of a cat in some bloke’s apartment; I’m sure they’ve seen many cats in many apartments. Besides, I can fight off a murderer, but I can’t explain Roasty to Baz.

...

Please let it be a murderer, please let it be a murderer.

‘Hey Simon, how was your shift?’

Fuck.

**Baz**

Simon had a late shift at the bakery the first time that I found Charles. The poor cat was shivering in the cold afternoon in an alleyway where I was hunting for rats. Usually Simon gets me pig’s blood from the butchers, but I needed a pick-me-up on the way home. I felt sorry for the cat; black cats usually get abandoned the most.

It wasn’t scared of me like some animals are. It actually wandered straight up to me, meowing and rubbing his head on my leg. I should’ve been annoyed, those jeans weren’t cheap after all, but I found it quite endearing.

I picked up the cat and brought him to the apartment. I only meant to give it some food and water, and a short break from the harsh weather outside, but when I sat down to wait for it to finish the food he made himself at home on my lap. I began to research local pounds, even though I was worried for him as he’s a black cat. He probably wouldn’t be able to find a home in time and would be euthanized.

The ethical thing to do, though, was to take him to a pound. Maybe he belongs to someone? Later that day, half an hour before Simon was due home, I bit the bullet and picked up the cat to make the trek to the pound; it wasn’t too far away. But just as I got outside, almost as though he knew what I was doing, he jumped out of my arms and ran off.

I went back inside and cleaned after the cat, trying not to think too much about him. That is, until he showed up outside the apartment building a couple of days later. I shouldn’t have brought him back inside, God knows Simon would’ve freaked out about getting evicted, but if he wouldn’t let me take him to the pound, I could at least help this way.

I’d given him his name that second day I’d let him in. Sir Charles Grandiose the IV (Charles for short). It’s ridiculous, I know, but I felt it somehow fit.

It continued like that for a few weeks; Charles would wait for me at the door, I’d sneak him in and he’d sit on my lap as I read. It was nice, and Simon had absolutely no idea.

That was until now.

Simon is sitting on the floor with Charles, a priceless look on his face.

‘I’m so sorry, Baz! I don’t know what I was thinking, and he was so helpless, and I couldn’t just leave him out there!’

I may have underestimated Snow’s hero complex. I’m trying to keep my face cool and collected, but inside I’m dying of laughter. God, we’re both idiots.

‘How long has this been happening?’ I ask out of curiosity, though to him I’m sure he thinks he’s in trouble.

He looks down, a guilty look on his face. ‘I think it’s been four weeks now? Not everyday though, just when it’s been really cold!’

Crowley, how did I let him hide this from me? I suppose I’ve been too busy trying to hide it from him to even notice.

‘And what, Snow, did you name that cat?’

The blush on his cheeks does things to me and I want nothing more than to ruffle his hair. ‘Roasty...’ he mumbles. What kind of name is that? When I see the shredded roast beef on the floor, though, it makes sense. Idiot.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to drop the facade. ‘I named him Sir Charles Grandiose the IV when I was first bringing him inside. A much more dignified name than Roasty, I might add.’

The look on Simon’s face is absolutely priceless. ‘You what? Baz! Why didn’t you tell me you brought a cat into our apartment?’

‘Why didn’t you?’

There’s a brief pause. ‘Fair point.’

I roll my eyes at him, laughing as I sit down to pat the cat. ‘Why don’t we settle for naming him Charlie? That’s somewhat of a middle ground, don’t you think?’

‘Baz, that’s just a nickname for Charles,’ Simon pouts. Which is true, but I think it’s still better than Roasty.

We sit in a comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s and the cat’s company, when something occurs to me.

‘Simon, is this why you’ve finally been vacuuming the apartment lately?’

**Simon**

...

‘Maybe.’

**Author's Note:**

> This was done as a part of the Carry On Countdown 2020. I know this prompt is a day late (at least where I'm from), but I got the idea for it this morning and I just had to write it. Also, side note, but I got Baz's name for the cat from the name of my first succulent (Sir Charles Grandiose IV). 
> 
> I'd also like to say that if you come across a stray animal, at least in Australia, the best and legal thing to do is to take it to a vet or pound where it can be looked after and any potential owners can be found. 
> 
> Thank you very much for reading!


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